WATCH: Actor Luke Evans speaks candidly about growing up gay as a Jehovah’s Witness

Luke Evans is known as an action movie superstar with roles in ‘The Hobbit’, ‘Fast & Furious’ and ‘Dracula Untold’. But he started life in a small Welsh town as part of the Jehovah’s Witness church. Being Gay was prohibited under the rules of his strict religious upbringing, but his sexuality became harder and harder to ignore, and he had no one to turn to for help. After speaking to the Samaritans and realising he didn’t want to be ‘fixed’, he embarked on an incredible journey full of bravery and bizarre happenstance, finding a theatre and arts community through the older partner he was living with in London.

In this emotional and candid conversation with Jack Guinness for the Gay Star News podcast Queerphoria, Luke discusses how he overcame severe bullying and religious trauma with Pride and community, inspired by his top three Queer cultural moments.

Luke Evans’ new book, ‘Boy From The Valleys: My Unexpected Journey’, is out now from Penguin.